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SANTI PALACIOS / ASSOCIATED PRESS A policeman hugs a boy and his family Monday at a memorial to the victims of a terrorist attack along Las Ramblas in Barcelona, Spain. The policeman had helped the family during the attack on Thursday, which left 13 people dead. A writer says the attack perverted the peaceful objectives of Islam.

PLCB work lauded

Editor: The Times-Tribune has dedicated attention to the ongoing debate over liquor, wine and beer sales. Much coverage focuses on the role that the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board plays but, unfortunately, recent opinion and news copy does not jibe with the facts.

The PLCB recently announced an increase in the shelf prices on approximately 412 of the 30,000 wine and spirits products available to consumers. This is the first time the PLCB has passed a retail price increase onto customers since the 1990s. The increase is not due to the cost of employee benefits.

A new state law — Act 39 — updated the liquor code to give the PLCB discretion in marking up top wine and spirits brands, as opposed to the previous uniform pricing system. The idea was to give the PLCB leverage in negotiations on acquisition prices. The good news is that, by and large, this was successful. The PLCB acquired a lower acquisition price for nearly 700 products, according to recent testimony, reducing shelf prices for 120 of those.

But in other cases, suppliers and the agency could not reach agreement, leaving the PLCB with the same price, causing the agency to mark up 412 products. This, not the cost of the store employees, caused the price increases on the shelves that is referenced in the media.

Shelf prices have increased over the years due to rising costs of wine and spirits products. During this time, the PLCB has maintained the same markup to keep prices competitive with neighboring states.

The agency’s work on prices is laudable and one would be hard-pressed to find retailers that have not increased markup and prices in the past 15 to 20 years. Not only has the PLCB kept prices low, but it generates record revenues to the state treasury year after year.

He states that President Donald Trump can’t possibly be a racist because, “It would be impossible to enjoy the success Trump has had in life.” Well, guess what? White supremacist David Duke is worth more than $1 million and his entire existence has been about racism.

Norton follows with, “Racism is about people wanting special privileges at the expense of others.” That clearly is a Trump trait.

He continues, “If you demonstrate respect of others that we all deserve we’ll get along just fine.” Trump, though, has demonstrated over and over again that he respects no one.

Norton also said, “If you exhibit a willful intent to suppress others for personal gain or privilege don’t act surprised when I call you out.” That follows another Trump trait.

If Norton wants to defend that guy in the White House, I suggest that he do a little fact-checking before he spreads more “fake news.”

DONNA TOMASETTI

DUNMORE

Distorted ideology

Editor: Another deadly terror attack has occurred, this one in Barcelona, Spain, claiming 13 lives.

As an Ahmadi Muslim I condemn this attack and stand in solidarity with the people of Spain.

The Quran unequivocally states that “the killing of one soul is equal to killing all of mankind” and these acts are anything but Islamic.

The danger is that Muslims and especially those among the youth are without a leader, a spiritual guide, per se. As a result, some of them undergo sporadic and discontinuous reformation, creating a void in their understanding. This void subsequently is exploited by terrorists like the Islamic State group.

As a counter-narrative to this distorted ideology of extremists, Ahmadi Muslims have developed a campaign of “True Islam and the Extremists” with the objective of providing the correct and peaceful meaning of Islam, as practiced 1,400 years ago, that can lead to everlasting peace.

NAYYAR AHMED

PITTSBURGH

Editor’s note: The writer is a member of the Muslim Writers Guild of America.

Biblical message

Editor: I see a parable in recent letters to the editor.

Some write to condemn the evils in others — intolerance, racism, hypocrisy, greed and more. The writers think to themselves, “We are so glad that we have no faults. We are not intolerant, not racist, not hypocrites and not greedy like other people.”

The second group of writers also condemn the evils in others — intolerance, racism, hypocrisy, greed and more. Then, they see themselves within their own message to confess, “We also have faults. We struggle to overcome our intolerance, our racism, our hypocrisy, our greed and even more.”

This is the truth. The second group of the two sets of writers are vindicated rather than the first. For all who justify themselves will be humbled; but those who humble themselves will be justified.

COLETTE SREBRO HUGHES

SCOTT TWP.

Down in dumps

Editor: According to news sources, President Trump recently remarked to his golfing buddies that the White House is a “dump.”

If that statement is extrapolated to the average American’s home, and further to the average, hard-working American, it indicates his true opinion of us.

SUSAN ZITO

GREENTOWN, PIKE COUNTY

Taxed out of town

Editor: We folded. We will move out of Scranton after 55 years and relocate to the Waverly area.

Scranton is not going to stop raising taxes, ever.

JOE CASTAGNARO JR.

SCRANTON

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